[bikesdirect]

A few rebuttals to the excellent talking points.

• The currency exchange rates only varied 10% over the past year. Even when the US Dollar is stronger, the manufacturers raise prices. I believe some of the currency manipulation was to increase the cost of imports to make domestic manufacturing more attractive. I am just throwing this out as I do not know how much this has to do with current pricing.
• The manufacturing part of the components and assembly is a small part of the over all price of the bike. The marketing budget to pay pro riders to say their bikes are the best and all the sponsorships of races and such is huge. This is the old argument of why pay hundreds for a sneaker endorsed by Michael Jordan that costs dollars to manufacture.
• How much of the component cost increases are due to the tariffs. Will we see tariffs decrease under the new administration?
• It is the end of many company's fiscal year. Once the annual reports are out, CEOs will identify the increased profits due to pricing or struggles with higher costs.

To your points

1 currency has a real impact; especially yen, NT$, and RMB. — about a year ago 32 NT to USD, NOW 28!

2 manufacturering is about 30% of normal end user price; duties and ocean about 8 to 14% depending on type of bike; distribution costs are the rest- meaning over half

3 increased tariffs - does not effect higher level bikes made in Taiwan (which are most nice bikes) - does not effect mine as they are all Taiwan right now - many brands moved lower level stuff to Cambodia or other low cost counties - I expect new administration will drop China duties back to normal - but not till later

4 Please! The price increases have nothing to do with heartless CEOs trying to look good or whatever - ocean frt is thru the roof,all components are increased , and exchange rates not swinging our way

no one that loves cycling, which are most in the industry , likes this
and I personally hate it
Anytime someone who wants a new bike can not get it; an angle cries
And if the cyclist is a kid, an angle dies

 

[ahopkins1988]

What's absurd about Specialized's prices? They may be a little higher than buying a direct-to-consumer brand but not that much more. And they have bikes of the same class in every price range from reasonable to stupid-expensive at the S-works end. I have had quite a few of their bikes and they are always well-made, well-equipped, and a good value for the money.

I paid $4000 for my Stumpjumper Comp Carbon in 2018. It's $4200 now with essentially the same build. I don't think that's outrageous for what you get. You can get the Alloy model for $3400 and the "base" model for $2400. That'a a more than decent full-suspension bike with a dropper post for a very reasonable price.

Having just went through the process of ordering a new bike and deciding to order a Canyon Neuron 6. I can tell you that you there isn't really a comparable bike from any of the major OEMs, Trek, Specialized, Salsa, etc. I looked through pretty much everything out there and was open to pretty much everything as we all know how tight inventory is. When you factor in what components you are getting on the bike, the offset in cost is pretty big. That doesn't make a non-direct to bike customer a bad bike, but you for sure get more value in the direct to customer bikes from my experience.

 

[paxfobiscum]

26 years ago I bought a stainless steel Rolex submariner for $3,000. A ridiculous price at that time but I had just finished grad school and I wanted to use my first paycheck to reward myself with something that I can pass on to my kids and grandkids.

From then til now (actually since the 1980s) Rolex changed nothing in the submariner. It is exactly the same watch now as it was back then. Well, they did change something... it now costs $9,000 and the waiting period is more than 6 months. If you want to buy a used one then you can find them for $15,000.

I would rather buy another rolex than a Specy carbon bike that would lose half its value in a year.

 

[rollinrob]

I bought an epic evo base for $3300. in Sept. Four months later its priced at $3800. $500 increase. I wish I had bought more of them. It would have been better than buying stocks. I'm n0t sure I would have purchased the bike at the current price.

 

[Mike Aswell]

I don't own and haven't been looking at Specialized...but my lbs that carries them is also a ski shop and I know the owner. I was in the other day and he told me that he still doesn't have confirmation of any inventory from them for the spring. He was still holding out hope but he said as it sits today, they will have nothing and would only have the ability to place prepaid orders with a somewhat significant lead time to delivery. He also said (at the time it was late January) that he is taking 4-5 calls/day about bikes and that normally at this time of year after Christmas if he took one per week it would be it.

That's obviously anecdotal, and he's not a huge shop, but he's the only Specialized dealer around and definitely moves a reasonable amount of inventory each year. And basically, he can't even get bikes to sell.

 

[bikesdirect]

I bought an epic evo base for $3300. in Sept. Four months later its priced at $3800. $500 increase. I wish I had bought more of them. It would have been better than buying stocks. I'm n0t sure I would have purchased the bike at the current price.

If specialized had NT$ at 30.5 last summer; and to replace the bike has to get NT at 28: that’s a couple hundred
Then if component markers increase by 6 to 14% that could be a couple hundred more
then tack on extra $50 for transport increases

this is not specialized fault
Not saying you are blaming them

lets all
blame it on a virus; not another cyclist

 

[kmax1980]

not surprised at all, way more people wanting bikes and no bikes to be sold. I'm surprised they didnt raise prices more than they did. I'm in Canada, and Ive tried since December to get an Epic Evo Comp and even had one on order that the dealer cancelled because "specialized couldnt fulfill". All the dealers and specialized Canada have told me I'm not getting that bike in this calendar year more likely than not. 2021, 2022 models or anything. I gave up and ordered a Giant Trance Advanced Pro 29 that was in stock.

 

[Nat]

it’s about promoting change through media getting the word out

Face palm

That's taking the social justice warrior thing too far.

 

[Suns_PSD]

Certain activities really attract the anti-capitalism crowd and mountain biking is certainly one of those.

In certain product segments there needs to be price controls, staple food items, essential health care, etc...

A totally optional top of the line bicycle with literally thousands of competitors is not one of those. If I was in charge of Spesh, or any bike manufacturer, I'd seek to maximize profits in these times, because it never lasts. You do that by providing class leading product, reducing operating expenses, and selling your product for the max amount that results in demand just outstripping supply.

I know this, not one whiner here would offer to pay extra for a bike or gear that is being sold at a loss because it's overaged, unpopular, or whatever.

The reality is that the market determines the value of these fancy toys.

 

[eb1888]

The real problem is the loss of the 'normal' 25% discount the shop near me used to offer a couple times a year. It didn't materialize last year.

 

[DtEW]

Here is an e-bike-centric article about the state-of-the-industry that is completely relevant to the subject at-hand, given that a Merida production line is pictured and discussed.

"Currently, manufacturers have put up their prices by around 10%, in individual cases up to 15%. At the high-end, bikes will be up to € 2,000 more expensive."

Bike boom in a crisis? Long delivery times, limited availability and higher prices for 2021 | E-MOUNTAINBIKE Magazine

Dream or nightmare? The coronavirus crisis has brought an unbelievable boom to the bike industry. Despite this, massive bankruptcies, sinking valuations of a number of manufacturers, long delivery times, servicing issues and higher prices all threaten. We explain what’s going on and clarify the...

ebike-mtb.com

 

[celswick]

I bought an epic evo base for $3300. in Sept. Four months later its priced at $3800. $500 increase. I wish I had bought more of them. It would have been better than buying stocks. I'm n0t sure I would have purchased the bike at the current price.

I was about to comment on that same bike, except I didn't buy one. I started drooling over it at $3,300 and have watched it go to $3,600 and now $3,900. Pretty sure I'll go direct to consumer if I ever decide to buy something.

 

[FrankS29]

Everything, at every stage costs more. Period. Manufacturing, shipping, packaging, components...

Retail prices have to increase to maintain margin. Do you think bike companies are getting as good of prices on components as they were a few years ago?

Highly doubt it. If company X does not want to pay the new price for 600 groupsets, guess what, company Y will. Now apply that to suspension, wheel, tires...

I'm honestly shocked prices have only marginally increased for the most part.

 

[telemike]

Thoughts, comments, concerns, about Specialized bike increases in the last year reaching beyond absurd prices or not? Is there reputation at risk, or is this the new normal? Has Specialized marketing department become an echo chamber of yes men?

Cheers

My problem with specialized is not the frames which are great. It's the lousy level of components on the lower price bikes. The Cascade Peak I ride has an aluminum frame on a par with the specialized aluminum frames but has XT level components throughout. The components are as crucial to a bike as the frame and given that the frames are mostly equal, the components sell me. Now, a rider with the bucks to buy the top of the line specialized bike will get about the best possible bike out of the S-works line but I do not have 9K to spend on a bike. Nor to I need to have 9K to love my bike and enjoy it.

The other issue with practically every manufacturer is the specification of SRAM components. I would buy a frame and build it up myself with Shimano components before I'd repeat the disaster of avid brakes and sram drive trains. And electric shifting. Why would anyone want this? Ask Brian of BKXC how many batteries he has to carry on a ride just to keep the shifter working.

 

[595978]

Your posts make no sense. Why are you singling out Specialized? Have you noted across-the-board price increases with other brands? Come back when you have an actual point to make.

I’d explain it to you but I left my Dictionary at home.

 

[Blatant]

That’s not the only thing you left at home, junior. Your point was so all-encompassing even you can’t explain it without name-calling. Well played, sir.

 

[Mudguard]

It's worse in other parts of the globe. In New Zealand my last Enduro, was $4500NZ in 2014 for the alloy comp. The Comp is now $8400NZ. Now it's not an apples vs apples comparison as they don't make an alloy version. But the Comp has almost doubled in real dollars in the last seven years.
That's $6060USD here.

 

[OttaCee]

If I was a manufacture and I knew my production levels were not keeping up with demand but I still need to look out for my dealer network and make sure they dont get screwed, I might want to slightly adjust up my pricing. Dealer doesnt get as many bikes to sell so they need to maximize profit to keep the LBS open. Instead on getting 100 bikes sold at $4K average, they now get 80 bikes allocated sold at a higher $5K average just to maintain prior revenue levels.
** what do I know, just work for a manufacture dealing with the same issues **

 

[Porkchop_Power]

My problem with specialized is not the frames which are great. It's the lousy level of components on the lower price bikes. The Cascade Peak I ride has an aluminum frame on a par with the specialized aluminum frames but has XT level components throughout. The components are as crucial to a bike as the frame and given that the frames are mostly equal, the components sell me. Now, a rider with the bucks to buy the top of the line specialized bike will get about the best possible bike out of the S-works line but I do not have 9K to spend on a bike. Nor to I need to have 9K to love my bike and enjoy it.

The other issue with practically every manufacturer is the specification of SRAM components. I would buy a frame and build it up myself with Shimano components before I'd repeat the disaster of avid brakes and sram drive trains. And electric shifting. Why would anyone want this? Ask Brian of BKXC how many batteries he has to carry on a ride just to keep the shifter working.

The reason almost all high end bikes are only available with SRAM is that Shimano is completly back-ordered for at least a year. I would love a bike with XT components since I have been riding Shimano only for 25+ years but it is just not going to happen in 2021. In fact just about all high end bikes are basically not available which really sucks.

Also fully agree that electronic shifting sucks. I do not need anything new to charge. I have friends who bailed on rides because they forgot to charge their derailleurs which is lame. I also want something I can fix hours away from civilization without a multi-meter.

 

[bikesdirect]

At this time, both shimano and sram have lead times over a year. Many lead times are running over 16 months
The amazing thing is these lead times are super long from tourney to XTR and from x4 to xx

however there will be some XT12 bikes coming in during 2021; if that’s what you are looking for